Connecticut western news., 1887-12-14
ELEPHANT HUNTING.
How the Monstrous Brutes are
 Captured Alive in India.
Driving the Animals Into Funnel-Shaped lnclosure.

the herd of elephants which it is in tended to hunt. Its position has been previously ascertained, as nearly as pos sible; but of course few days ora few hours may have made some great changes and some sudden alarm may have driven them all right away, or the herd may have become divided, or 1t may turn out that another herd has ap- preached it and may be induced, by adroit maneuvering, to join it. The herd having been found, without its being alarmed, the next thing is to sur round it at distance by light cordon of men, and guide its unconscious steps toward the kheddah in which it is to be inclosed and captured. The general idea of a kheddah may be taken from an open pair of compasses, of which the round head or hinge represen the inclosure into which the elephants are to be driven; while the outsprcad arms of the compass represent the long lines of ob- stacles or scares by which the elephants are prevented from straying to one side or the other, so that they advance through the purposcly undisturbed jun gle in the centre, between tho grad ually converging lines of obstacles in the khcd- dah or inclosure already mentioned. The elephant is timid and cautious annual. If it meets with any chopped branches of trees, or indications of the presence of man, or anything to which its eyes are unaccustomed, it will not advance In that direction. The real diff culty of the hunter lis in mak- ing their lateral lines of obstacles suf- fciently obvious to the elephants with out alarming them too much. At this early stage of the proceedings not a man should show himself lest the wild elephants should be frightened and make stampede. The animal should be left to pride himself on his own cleverncss at having detected signs of danger, in consequence of which he ad- vances in what seems safe direction But as the devoted herd gets further and further into the funnel of the con- l verging lines, much stronger measures have to be adopted. Considerable pressure is put on them from behind, to urge them on in the right direction and simultaneously the visible ob. stacles along the sides have to be much strengthened and effectively guarded, to prevent the herd from breakin g through them. As the elephants actu- ally approach the kheddah itself there is no longer any concealment on the part of the hunters. The firing of guns and the beating of drums, and loud shouts and noises, with long lines of fires, made out of the dried grass and brushwood, which have been collected for this pur- pose, compel the affrighted animals to push onward, until they finally enter the kheddah itself, where at first all seems comparatively silent and safe.
 With regard to the actual kheddah or inclosure, in which the elephants arc captured, a few words may suffice It is, of course, surrounded by fence; but the posts and rails are huge trees and large branches stoutly intertwincd, and strongly supported by groins to pre- vent them from yielding to the rush of the elephants trying to escape from their captors. And if there is time to dig it, comparatively small ditch inside the fence adds greatly to its strength. The elephant sees the newly dug earth and fears pitfall. Its feet sink into mud and water, and the force of its charge against the fence itself is thus broken. Presently, when all the herd have entered the inclosure, a ponderous gate is closed behind them and this gate has to be stoutly fortified, and also defended by number of men, firing blank cartridges in the face of any elephant that charges at them. In the same way, the whole circle of tho kheddah is lined on its outer side with men, firing guns and brandishing torches to repel the charges of the elephants, until the whole herd morally and physi- cally collapses, and tries to shelter itself in whatever cover may still be found from the trees and jungle left standing in the inclosure. - [Longman's Maga- zine.
 Art Running to Extremes.